The India Fan

The superstitious mystique of the peacock fan was a bit overdone and the "hero" spends years either ignoring the narrator or making inappropriate advances to her with no thought of marriage. Then all the sudden he is a good guy in the end...not terribly believable. However, I do have a soft spot for this period of history and the story certainly kept me interested.

I really enjoyed the first half of this novel - it was very girl meets house gothic - but came unstuck when the action moved to India. I enjoyed the set up with the narrator having been kidnapped by the local lordling as a child, and the dynamic they had as a result. Drusilla's life and family in England were well realised and rounded, and her role as a companion rang true for the era. The maiden aunt with the peacock fan didn't seem very relevant, but added to the gothic overtures.

I had been looking forward to the India section, but was disappointed almost as soon as the characters got there. I got the impression the narrative was trying to suggest that even Drusilla's acceptance of Imperialism was not a good thing, let alone those show more characters actively involved with the East India Company, but the plot did nothing to back this up. By portraying the Indian characters as either good submissive servants (so submissive many didn't even get names) or arrogant sexual predators, thuggees who wanted to force women into suttee, the Indian Rebellion was reduced to a group of people who wanted to right to burn widows back.

It was deeply uncomfortable reading, and left me with very little sympathy for any of the English characters. By the time the plot returned to England I didn't really care how to romance ended up. The fan as a motif only turned up sporadically, and it never felt like it had more than a glancing impact on the plot (Drusilla's life prior to going to India seems more blessed than cursed). Having had this book come so highly recommended, I was more disappointed than I might have been had I come in blind, but a lot of that also came from enjoying the first half so much that the racist elements of the second completely blindsided me. show less

I don't even know how to start this review. I really enjoyed the other Victoria Holt book I read, Mistress of Mellyn, but this one, no. A thousand times no. There was sexism, classicism, racism, I am sure I am forgetting some -ism. And yes, I do get that the setting that this book takes place in is just echoing what these times were like, it still doesn't mean I have to like it. But more than that, the main character Drusilla sucks. She does. From her shaming a woman who was raped and wants to give the baby up for adoption, for her actually calling another woman she considers a good friend a slut, she is the most judgmental thing ever. And if you want her to keep reading about how plain she is every five seconds well then this is the show more book for you. Her being plain had nothing to do with her overall terribleness. I starting hoping that the curse of the fan would be a thing and she end up dead in a ditch holding a sign saying "I am plain."

Drusilla finds herself becoming more tied to the wealthy Framlings. She is a daughter of the local rector and though she's not of the same class as the Framlings, she is considered good enough to be a playmate to the Framling daughter Lucinda.

Drusilla also finds herself becoming more fascinated with the Framling son, Fabian. Why you ask? Because when she was a baby, he decided to kidnap her cause he wanted a baby of his own. I am not kidding people. This is a thing through the whole book. Instead of Drusilla's father saying yeah, give me back my daughter, she was allowed to stay with the family for two weeks, because Lady Harriet (Lucinda and Fabian's overly indulgent mother) never says no to her terrible ass kids.

Drusilla who should actually be more leery of the whole family just finds herself judging Lucinda for her wanton ways, and trying her best to resist Fabian and knowing that she's plain so he can't actually really like her.

The "India Fan" comes into play early in the book due to Fabian ordering Drusilla to take it and bring it back to him. Then she and readers finds out about a curse on the fan from the owner, Fabian and Lucinda's mentally impaired aunt/cousin. I can't even remember her relation to the family at this point. So Holt lures you into thinking that something terrible can happen to Drusilla at any moment because of the curse of this fan (oh how I wish) and it's kind of in Drusilla's head sometimes, but then it's not.

Maybe the book would have worked if the secondary characters had been more developed or not just terrible too. But with a plot that really just shows Drusilla being tied more and more to the Framlings and for some dumb reason, Lady Harriet constantly manipulating things so that Drusilla is forced to follow along after Lucinda in order to get her to start acting right and proper. Lucinda is apparently just a nymphomaniac that cannot help having sex with any man that stares at her too long. Drusilla is okay with this though, because even though Lucinda is obviously beautiful, she at least it not intelligent. Also she can constantly bring up things Lucinda has done in order to slut-shame her.

Once the two young girls are sent off to a finishing school in France, the book just drags. We are introduced to some new characters here and there, but no one really is important until the character Janine. I won't get into her too much, because spoilers, but honestly I did feel for this character and hated what Holt did with her as well.

Drusilla finds herself growing to like Fabian more and more as she is older, but guards against it. Heck I don't know what to say about Fabian really except I was not feeling him at all.

Drusilla eventually goes to live as a companion to Lucinda after Lucinda and her new husband move to India. We find that Lucinda even after having two children keeps making terrible choices, but honestly at this point I just felt bad for her. She honestly seems to think the only thing that makes her worthwhile is her beauty and having men fighting/paying attention to her. And Drusilla treats her like a very slow-witted dog sometimes. Ugh. Moving on.

When the book moves settings to India, it got even more worse. Jesus, I need a better word than "worse" right now. During the time period of this book (early 1800s due to mention of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert) the British East India Company has gotten a foothold in India and has started to outlaw things like "Thugee" during the Thugee and Dacoity Suppression Acts. And yes things like "thugee" were flat out terrible. But a company going into a country with their own private military and telling another culture that they are not allowed to do things that they have been doing for hundreds of years tends to go over badly. Not to mention that the company's practices were seen as a direct cause of famine throughout India. Sorry I am getting a little too history-centric in my review. But due to the book's setting during this terrible history in India is actually important. Holt just takes a puddle deep examination of what is going on there and mostly the book is saying except for some loyal servants, most Indians are bad. Maybe that is not what she meant to do, but that is how it seems.

The writing did not seem written for the time period in this story. At times the language used was way too modern. The flow dragged. I think maybe the book could have been better if some of the earlier things dealing with Lucinda at school would have been cut. We get it book, she's terrible.

The ending was the saddest thing ever. Drusilla is thrilled because even though she's plain, she still has the love of [redacted]. She pretty much ignores the fact that she is still being manipulated by the Framlings to do what they want and she just goes along with it, because hey, she's getting what she wants.

I read this for the Gothic Romance square for Romance Book Bingo 2017. show less

I thought early on that “The India Fan” was going to be one of Victoria Holt’s better novels, as I really enjoyed the main characters’ childhood days; however, as they grow up, I grew less engaged with the story.

The narrative is slow, with little of the suspense featured in a typical Holt novel, and crucial events are largely predictable. At times, it’s quite boring.

As usual with this author, there’s too much *telling*, as opposed to *showing*. Many times in this book the reader is told what happened, when the author could’ve dramatized scenes to show what happened.

I consider Lavinia to be the best-drawn character. She’s vivid and believable. I also liked the heroine of the piece, but in general, not many of the cast are show more memorable characters. show less

Read during Winter 2002/2003

Not unlike 'Secret for a Nightingale' but a more delicate touch. The heroine is Drusilla, the rector's daughter, and the haughty aristocrat is the much spoiled Fabian Framling. (Yes, Fabian). The historical event is the Sepoy Mutiny, which takes far too much exposition to be the truly horrifying event it was. However, the exposition is interesting, esp. the friendship that grows between 'plain and senisble' Drusilia and Lavinia, Fabian's pleasure seeking little sister. That is really the main story and when Fabian and Drusilia do get together it is expected and anti-climactic. The point of the fan in the title is somewhat lost.

I want to start by saying that I really liked this book. I give it 5/5 stars. This is not a new book either, but a 1998 book re-leased with a new cover for 2013. I love the cover!!! I have not read any of Victoria Holt’s Books (or so I thought-see note at the end). I thought that they were sappy romance novels, but that is not the case. This book like the one above I think has a wide reading appeal. There are secrets, lies, deception, blackmail, a double-crossing, a double suicide, a wealthy estate, arson, obsession, children out-of-wedlock, a manipulative matriarch, and the crazy Miss Lucille locked up in her rooms. Don’t forget the curse of the peacock feather fan. Wow this book packs a lot into one package. There is also the show more exotic trip to India and the introduction of the basics of Indian culture. Oh, yes there is a subtle romance thread throughout. How can the Drusilla the daughter of the rector, compete with the wealthy, spoiled Lavinia Framling? Who will Drusilla chose for her husband? Sir Fabian Framling the heir to the Framling fortune who is a rogue and ladies man? Dougal Carruthers whose interest in architecture has led him to the rectory? Or will it be the newly arrived Colin Brady who has come to assist her father and hopes to take over the rectory? Who does she dare to lose her heart to? Will her strange friendship with Lavinia Framling survive? If you are considering adding this book to your list of to read books, don’t think about it, read it now!!! I think you will enjoy it. I have to say that I am partial to all and anything Indian including Indian food, Indian stories, I took a class about India once.

I had to note that I just found out that Victoria Holt, Philippa Carr and Jean Plaidy are all the same person!!! Who knew!! It is Eleanor Alice Burford Hibbert. Well I have definitely read many of the Jean Plaidy books, probably some of the Philippa Carr ones too!! show less

Drusilla, rector's daughter, tied to the Framlings, in England + India - evil curse of fan.

Beautiful Drusilla Delany had always been a sensible girl, the daughter of an impoverished vicar in Victorian England. But then she became infatuated with wealthy Fabian and Lavinia Framling--and inherited an extraordinary fan with a beautiful and fateful curse! A knock-out novel of mysticism and murder from the author of The Silk Vendetta.